The first White Queen program featuring author Philippa Gregory discussing the history behind the series is available NOW on YouTube and it is just OUTSTANDING. Try to read this blog before you watch, it will help you establish an emotional connection with these powerful historical figures.

Wikipedia describes The White Queen as “a British television drama series based on Philippa Gregory’s bestselling historical novel series The Cousins’ War.” It’s scheduled to be broadcast in the U.S. on Starz on 8/10/13.

“Set against the backdrop of the Wars of the Roses, the series is the story of the women caught up in the long-drawn-out conflict for the throne of England. It starts in 1464—the nation has been at war for nine years fighting over who is the rightful King of England, as two sides of the same family, the House of York and the House of Lancaster, are in violent conflict over the throne. The story focuses on three women in their quest for power, as they manipulate behind the scenes of history—Elizabeth Woodville, Margaret Beaufort and Anne Neville.”

Wyatt descendants are related to all three through Elizabeth Brooke, wife of Sir Thomas Wyatt the Poet.

The question is “how?” I’ve researched these ancestors and added that info to my ancestry.com account to determine relation. I’m a Baby Boomer, so I hope that by posting my relation you will have some sense for yours. This was a lot of work, I imagine it will need tweaking.

Our Aunt

Elizabeth Woodville is our (16th) great grand aunt through Jane Haute. She was a beautiful Lancastrian widow, the commoner who won the heart and hand of Yorkist King Edward IV. (He is 1st cousin 17x removed.)

Her family was despised for their greed and the king’s brothers – and the powerful Warwick – were her enemies.

Anne Neville is our second cousin (16x removed); she was the wife of Richard III … who personally tortured our ancestor Henry Wyatt (14th Great Grandfather.) Margaret Beaufort – forced to be a political chameleon – humbly carried her train at their wedding.

Margaret Beaufort is our second cousin (17x removed); as Lancastrian heirs continued to die on battlefields, her son became the last hope of the line.

These notes will give you some background as it relates to our heritage. It seems everyone in these courts was related.

I begin with England in more secure times under our direct ancestor … EDWARD III 19th Great Grandfather

Edward was born was born 13 Nov 1312 in Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire, England. Edward was crowned at Westminster Abbey 29 Jan 1327. Edward married Philippa of Hainault on 24 Jan 1328 in York Minster. She was born 24 Jun 1311 in Valenciennes.

The king died 21 Jun 1377 at Sheen Palace Richmond and was buried in Westminster Abbey, London, England. Philippa died 15 Aug 1369 in Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire, England and was buried in Westminster Abbey, London, England.

They had 14 children – some died as infants and one died of the Black Death. One who survived was …

JOHN OF GAUNT 18th Great Grandfather

John wasborn Mar Mar 1340 in St Bavon’s Abbey, Ghent, Flanders. His first marriage was for love, that wife was Blanche of Lancaster. Their children were Philippa, Queen of Portugal (1360-1415), Elizabeth, Duchess of Exeter (1363-1425) and Henry IV (1367-1413). Catherine Swynford, Blanche’s friend, helped raise the children when she died.

Note that I don’t document our relations through his other wives; knock yourselves out!

John married Constance of Castile for political and dynastic reasons; they had one daughter, Catalina, Queen of Castile (1372-1418.)

John married CATHERINE SWYNFORD ROET Duchess on 13 Jan 1396 in Lincoln Cathedral. King Richard legitimized their children under English law, but stipulated they were not eligible for royal succession. (That didn’t prevent Katherine’s great-great grandson Henry VII from becoming king of England … but it did create obstacles.)

Between them, John and Katherine started the Tudor and Yorkist Royal Houses. Most of the European Royal Houses trace their origins back to them through intermarriage.
Katherine and Johnfulfilled an ancient prophecy of Merlin: “thou shalt get kings though thou be none!”Also note that John admired the writing of Catherine’s brother-in-law (her sister’s husband) – Geoffrey Chaucer.

[The Margaret Beaufort/Henry Tudor Connection]

Their sonJohn Beaufort (1372 to 1409) had two sons Henry, Earl of Somerset and John, Duke of Somerset who fathered Margaret Beaufort. He committed suicide after the shame of being banished from court.

His rich daughter was just a little girl, but she was married off to the king’s half brother Edmund Tudor. He should not have “taken” her so young, but it was the only way to secure his rights to her properties. He died of plague before his son Henry was born and she was so young she barely survived childbirth.

She never had another child, so Henry’s advancement was her obsession.

Margaret is second cousin 17x removed.

John Beaufort died 3 Feb 1399 in Ely House Holborn and was buried in St Paul’s Cathedral, London, England. Catherine died 10 May 1403 in Lincoln and was buried in Lincoln Cathedral. We descend through their daughter …

LADY JOAN DE BEAUFORT 17th Great Grandmother

Lady Joan was born in 1379, daughter of John of Gaunt, the powerful Duke of Lancaster. She married RALPH NEVILLE, 1st Earl of Westmoreland, 4th Baron Neville of Raby on 3 Feb 1396. (Ralphwas born 1364.) They had 14 children – two of them had children who were historically significant and the third gives us our connection to the Howards.

The couple’s son Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury (1400 – 31 December 1460) was a Yorkist in the early days of the Cousins’ War. He married Alice Montacute or Montagu, 5th Countess of Salisbury.

Their son Richard Neville, (22 November 1428 – 14 April 1471) 16th Earl of Warwick was the rich and powerful Kingmaker; first cousin 17 times removed. His wife was Lady Anne de Beauchamp. Their daughter Anne (11 June 1456 – 16 March 1485) became the wife/queen of Richard III.

She is 2nd cousin 16x removed.

Cecily Neville, mother of kings, grandmother of Henry VII’s queen

Their daughter Cecily Neville “Cecylle, the Rose of Raby” was:

The aunt of Richard – Earl of Warwick – the Kingmaker
Mother of kings Edward IV and Richard III
Grandmother of Elizabeth of York, beloved wife/queen of Henry VII.

Joan died 13 Nov 1440 in Howden, Yorkshire and was buried in Lincoln Cathedral.

Ralph died 21 Oct 1425 in Raby Castle, Durham and was buried in Staindrop.

We descend through Lady Joan’s son …

Note the red rose …

SIR EDWARD NEVILLE 16th Great Grandfather – 1st Baron Bergavenny

[This is our Howard Connection]

Edward was born in 1417 in Raby Castle in Kent. He married CATHERINE HOWARD on 15 Oct 1448. Catherine Howard was born in 1414, the daughter of Sir Robert Howard of Stoke Neyland and Margaret Mowbray. Her grandparents were John Howard, Sheriff of Essex and Alice Tendring. The Boleyns are also related to the Howards.

They had two daughters, including our ancestor …

LADY MARGARET NEVILLE 15th Great Grandmother

Margaret was born about 1455 in Raby Castle, Durham, England; she died 9/30/1506. She married JOHN BROOKE, Lord Cobham, 7th Baron of Cobham. He was born 10 Dec 1447 in Cowling, Kent, England and died March 3, 1511 or 12.
John Brooke and Margaret Neville had one son …